Background
While born in Malaysia, Tovey grew up in Perth and has always called Western Australia home.
While born in Malaysia, Tovey grew up in Perth and has always called Western Australia home.
Tovey attended Willetton Senior High School and played junior basketball in the Willetton area. After graduating from high school, he attended Augusta State University in the United States for one season where he was named Freshman of the Year for the Peach Belt Conference in 2004-2005.
He showed his potential early by being part of the silver-medal winning team at the 2002 Australian National High School tournament. He averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 30 games for the Jaguars as a freshman. Tovey returned to Australian in 2005 and signed with his hometown team, the Perth Wildcats, for the 2005-2006 NBL season.
In his rookie season, he averaged 4.3 points per game.
He joined the Sydney Kings for the 2006-2007 season, and over the next two years, played in all 74 games for the Kings. Following his two years with Sydney, he joined the Townsville Crocodiles where he continued to be a strong contributor on a team that played post-season basketball in 2009 and 2010.
After a two-year stint in Townsville, Tovey returned home to Perth to re-join the Wildcats. On 28 March 2013, Tovey announced his decision to retire at the conclusion of the 2012-2013 season.
Tovey is the son of David and Julie Tovey, and has two sisters, Stephanie and Hannah.
He currently works with accountancy firm HLB Mann Judd.
As the starting small forward for the Wildcats in 2010-2011, Tovey became renowned for being able to do a bit of everything including defending, rebounding, scoring, carrying the ball and being a leader out on the floor.
As a member of the Kings in 2007-2008, he made it to the Grand Final where the team lost to the Melbourne Tigers.